
Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853506) - 2014 - CRC 3rd Edition - 8/28/13
Driving and Operating 9-35
{Warning
If you have four-wheel drive, the
vehicle will be free to roll—even
if the shift lever is in P (Park) —if
the transfer case is in N (Neutral).
So, be sure the transfer case is in
a drive gear, Two-Wheel Drive
High or Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low —not in
N (Neutral). See Shifting Into Park
on page 9-30.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
{Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped. To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see
If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9-14.
N (Neutral): In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use N (Neutral)
only. Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
{Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts
down to the next gear and has
more power.

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853506) - 2014 - CRC 3rd Edition - 8/28/13
9-40 Driving and Operating
complete stop and it is hard to shift
into 1 (First), put the shift lever in
Neutral and let up on the clutch.
Then press the clutch pedal back
down and shift into 1 (First).
2 (Second):Press the clutch pedal
as you let up on the accelerator
pedal and shift into 2 (Second).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator
pedal.
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), and 5 (Fifth):
Shift into 3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), and
5 (Fifth) the same way you do for
2 (Second). Slowly let up on the
clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral.
Neutral: Use this position when
you start or idle the engine. R (Reverse):
To back up, press the
clutch pedal. After the vehicle stops,
shift into R (Reverse). Slowly let up
on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal. If it is hard to
shift, let the shift lever return to
Neutral and release the clutch
pedal. Then press the clutch again
and shift into R (Reverse). Do not
attempt to shift into 5 (Fifth) prior to
shifting into R (Reverse). The
transmission has a lock out feature,
which prevents a 5 (Fifth) gear to
R (Reverse) gear shift.
{Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
Use R (Reverse), along with the
parking brake, for parking the
vehicle.
Shift Speeds
{Warning
If you skip a gear when
downshifting, you could lose
control of the vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Do not
shift down more than one gear at
a time when downshifting.

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853506) - 2014 - CRC 3rd Edition - 8/29/13
9-42 Driving and Operating
A four-wheel drive indicator light
comes on when you shift into
four-wheel drive and the front axle
engages. SeeFour-Wheel-Drive
Light on page 5-25.
Some delay between shifting and
when the indicator light comes on is
normal.
{Caution
Driving on clean, dry pavement in
four-wheel drive for an extended
period of time can cause
premature wear on the vehicle's
powertrain. Do not drive on clean,
dry pavement in four-wheel drive
for extended periods of time. 4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low):
This
setting also engages the front axle
and delivers extra torque. You may
never need Four-Wheel Drive Low.
It sends maximum power to all
four wheels. You might choose
Four-Wheel Drive Low if you are
driving off-road in deep sand, deep
mud, or deep snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills.
Shifting into Four-Wheel Drive Low
will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak off. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-56.
A parking brake symbol is next to
the N (Neutral) symbol as a
reminder to set the parking brake
before shifting the transfer case into
N (Neutral).
{Warning
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See Parking Brake on
page 9-54.
N (Neutral): Shift to this setting
only when the vehicle needs to be
towed. See Recreational Vehicle
Towing on page 10-94 orTowing the
Vehicle on page 10-94.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High): This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations.
The front axle is not engaged in
two-wheel drive. This setting also
provides the best fuel economy.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High): Use
this setting when you need extra
traction, such as on snowy or icy

Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853506) - 2014 - CRC 3rd Edition - 8/28/13
9-44 Driving and Operating
Shifting In or Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low
{Caution
Shifting the transfer case into
Four-Wheel Drive Low while
moving at speeds faster than
5 km/h (3 mph) may cause
premature wear to the transfer
case, and may cause the gears to
grind. To avoid causing premature
wear, and grinding the gears, do
not shift the transfer case into
Four-Wheel Drive Low while the
vehicle is moving faster than
5 km/h (3 mph).
.Shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low should be done, if possible,
with the vehicle at a slight roll,
5 km/h (3 mph) or less.
.Shift the transmission into
N (Neutral).
.Shift the transfer case shift lever
in one continuous motion into or
out of the Four-Wheel Drive Low
position.
{Warning
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). SeeParking Brake on
page 9-54.
.Shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low with the vehicle at a stop
may be more difficult. You may
be unable to complete the shift
to Four-Wheel Drive Low, and
the transfer case will end up in
N (Neutral). This is normal, and
is a function of the gear teeth
aligning in the transfer case.
When this happens, make sure
the engine is on, shift the transmission momentarily to
D (Drive) and back to
N (Neutral), and then complete
the transfer case shift.
.When Four-Wheel Drive Low is
engaged, vehicle speed should
be kept below 72 km/h (45 mph).
Extended high-speed operation
in Four-Wheel Drive Low may
damage or shorten the life of the
drivetrain.
Shifting In or Out of Neutral
1. With the vehicle running and the engine at an idle, set the parking
brake.
2. Place the transmission into N (Neutral).
Shift the transfer case in one
continuous motion into or out of the
N (Neutral) position.

Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853506) - 2014 - CRC 3rd Edition - 8/28/13
9-46 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). SeeParking Brake on
page 9-54.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10-94 orTowing the Vehicle
on page 10-94.
If the SERVICE 4WD message
stays on, take the vehicle to your
dealer for service. See “SERVICE
4WD” under Transmission
Messages on page 5-41. Shifting Into Four-Wheel
Drive High
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
Drive High position. This can be
done at any speed up to 121 km/h
(75 mph), except when shifting from
Four-Wheel Drive Low. The
indicator light will flash while
shifting. It will remain on when the
shift is completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel
Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel
Drive High position. This can be
done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
See
“Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low” later in this section.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel
Drive Low
When Four-Wheel Drive Low is
engaged, vehicle speed should be
kept below 72 km/h (45 mph).
Extended high-speed operation in
Four-Wheel Drive Low may damage
or shorten the life of the drivetrain. To shift to the Four-Wheel Drive
Low position, the ignition must be in
ON/RUN and the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The preferred method
for shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low is to have the vehicle moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph). Turn the
knob to the Four-Wheel Drive Low
position. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light
to stop flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
{Caution
Shifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode
indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights to
stop flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.

Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853506) - 2014 - CRC 3rd Edition - 8/28/13
9-50 Driving and Operating
axle to help drive the vehicle. This is
the best setting to use when
plowing snow.
4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low):This
setting also engages the front axle
and delivers extra torque. You may
never need this setting. It sends
maximum power to all four wheels.
You might choose Four-Wheel Drive
Low if you are driving off-road in
deep sand, deep mud, or deep
snow, and while climbing or
descending steep hills.
Shifting into Four-Wheel Drive Low
will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak off. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-56.
{Warning
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). SeeParking Brake on
page 9-54.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10-94 orTowing the Vehicle
on page 10-94.
If the SERVICE 4WD message
stays on, take the vehicle to your
dealer for service. See “SERVICE
4WD” under Transmission
Messages on page 5-41.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive
High or AUTO (Automatic
Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
Drive High or AUTO position. This
can be done at any speed, except
when shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low. The indicator light will
flash while shifting. It will remain on
when the shift is completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel
Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel
Drive High position. This can be
done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
The indicator light will flash while
shifting. It will remain on when the
shift is completed.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel
Drive Low
When Four-Wheel Drive Low is
engaged, vehicle speed should be
kept below 72 km/h (45 mph).
Extended high-speed operation in
Four-Wheel Drive Low may damage
or shorten the life of the drivetrain.
To shift to the Four-Wheel Drive
Low position, the ignition must be in
ON/RUN and the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The preferred method

Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853506) - 2014 - CRC 3rd Edition - 8/28/13
Driving and Operating 9-53
{Caution
Shifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode
indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights to
stop flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the desired
position.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has ABS, an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5-25. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
you steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle

Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
5853506) - 2014 - CRC 3rd Edition - 8/28/13
9-54 Driving and Operating
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
For vehicles without a release
handle, set the parking brake by
holding the regular brake pedal
down, then pushing down the
parking brake pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5-24.
{Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9-75.